


Time's Up

by iscreameyescream



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band), Halsey (Musician), Multi-Fandom, Panic! at the Disco, Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, M/M, Murder Mystery, basically a whodunnit, i guess?? they just got out of high school so
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-09-02 23:06:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8686990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iscreameyescream/pseuds/iscreameyescream
Summary: One year after the untimely death of their best friend Calum Hood, three boys-Luke, Ashton and Michael- are finally learning to lead normal lives again. As their luck goes, this cannot last for long; especially not after they are sent anonymous notes ordering them on terrifying missions in exchange for Calum's body. They have also been offered a confession to the police from the killer- but only if they find the body in time.





	1. The Long, Long Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first upload to AO3 woo!
> 
> I have been working so long on this fic omg like I have literally been drafting and revising the first chapter for a year now so hopefully this all turns out well
> 
> enjoy!!

When Michael found out his boyfriend was dead, he didn't believe it.

 

When Michael found out his boyfriend was  _murdered_ , he didn't  _want_ to believe it.

 

When Michael found out his boyfriend’s body was still missing, he became numb.

 

Calum was gone. 

 

He was gone forever, and he was never coming back. 

 

The love of his life was dead.

 

He didn't even cry. Almost as if he was too sad to let any tears fall. He just sat there, watching Ashton and Luke sniffle. Then he watched as those sniffles turned into sobs. Ashton was crying the hardest, even though he and Calum were probably the least close out of the four of them. Maybe he felt guilty. He was still his friend. The funeral an entire year later didn't help to heal their wounds; especially since there was no body to lay in the casket. Instead it was filled with nic-nacs and little belongings of Calum's that he had collected over the years, and most weren't even of any significance. His parents didn't want anything too valuable buried, insisting it was for sentimental reasons, but Michael knew it was because they still had hope. They all did.

 

The funeral wasn't even the worst part, though. The real icing on the cake was when Michael learned that he was to go up and talk about his dead boyfriend in front of 150 people and somehow manage not to breakdown. The church was large, not every seat was filled but that was how his parents wanted it. Everything was white and grey, except for the wood paneling and door framing. The pedestal was also a different color, a dark mahogany brown that sat on a thin stage a shade lighter. The priest wore a black gown with a white collar, and a blue sash wrapped around his neck. Calum's favorite color. The three boys were sat in the fourth row, much to their annoyance. Everyone in front of them besides the boy's parents were distant family, some of which Calum had never even met; and yet somehow were deemed more worthy of a closer seat at a funeral for a stranger. 

 

A funeral for a stranger that wasn't even in the casket.

 

Michael's head raced with anxious thoughts, anything to distract him from what was happening worked. His thoughts were interrupted, though, when the doors to the church opened. 

 

"Who arrives  _late_  to a funeral?" Luke whispered, slightly offended. All three boys turned to find a flustered man, sheepishly slipping into a seat in the back row. Two of the boys gave looks of confusion, aside from Ashton, who's eyes grew wide.

 

"What is Brendon Urie doing here?" Michael squinted his eyes in further suspicion. He shrugged and turned back in his seat, Luke following suit. The curly haired boy kept staring.

 

Ashton shifted uncomfortably in his seat, shaking out a small whisper, "I don't know, but I don't like it." Brendon returned his gaze, and as soon as their eyes met Ashton felt pressure on his chest. He also felt a fluttering in his stomach. Brendon looked at the smaller boy with a sadness in his eyes.

 

Ashton turned back in his seat.

 

"We have a close friend of Calum's who would like to speak. Michael, would you mind stepping up?" They wouldn't even introduce Michael as his boyfriend. The dark haired boy looked a little offended, but nodded sheepishly. Luke cringed. Ashton was grinding his teeth in anger. Michael heard him mumble something under his breath about the ceremony being bullshit, and as much as he wanted to disagree, he couldn't. 

 

But it was all he had left of Calum.

 

Calum's family was conservative. They didn't speak of his background in theatre or any other artistic achievements, only athletic ones. Calum was also an atheist, but predictably the Hoods had a Catholic ceremony; something that the boy never stood for. When he told his family that he and Michael had started dating, they threatened to kick him out. They were dead set on Calum having a perfect, "normal" life, which was quite funny to the paler of the two because he was sure his boyfriend was the oddest person he'd ever met. The fight was only resolved once he told his parents he would break up with Michael. He never did, though. 

 

He stepped up to the pedestal and opened his mouth to speak. No words came out. His shaky, thin hands gripped the sides of the stand, eyes welling up with tears that he tried to blink away. The pale boy tried to focus on the beautiful paintings hung on the walls of the church. They contrasted the bland white walls perfectly, along with the gold candelabras that held tall lit magenta candles. Everything reminded him of his boyfriend. The tears still managed to fall, and that's when he spoke. "Uhm, I-I know every funeral speech starts out this way but uh," he forced out with a shaky voice, "Calum was an amazing guy. He always had a smile on his face, it-it was contagious," he smiled, remembering his lover's smile one more time. He looked over at the boys, both smiling sadly, "It didn't matter who you were when you entered the room, it was like-like he was automatically your best friend. He was-" Michael almost surprised himself once he started getting choked up, all the memories he had of him and Calum flooded his head at one time.

 

"He was my boyfriend."

 

A multitude of small, quiet gasps were sounded throughout the church, even a few noises of disgust. Calum's parents looked at Michael with all of the anger they possibly could've stored within them. They wanted to hide their son's true identity that badly. 

 

It was then that Michael threw all of his cares (and his manners) out the window. He looked his lovers' parents right in the eye and said, "He was my boyfriend, and I was his. He loved me so much, and I loved him more than he could've ever imagined. You don't care about that, though, do you?" Michael said, looking at them with nothing but anger and resentment, and soon that anger turned into sadness. He just wanted to get it through their heads. They didn't need to know, though. Michael was convinced the Hoods were only concerned with having trophy children. They had offered so much time and way too much money to both of their children for whatever they wanted, as long as they tried to be as perfect as possible; they resented Calum for fighting to steer away from that image. 

 

"You just- you wanted him in a beautiful house, w-with a beautiful wife, behind a beautiful white picket fence. You have  _no_  respect!" Michael shouted through his tears. He stormed off the stage and saw Ashton get up out of the corner of his eye. Luke was still sitting in shock. Michael started down the aisle and heard Ashton behind him. He tried speeding up toward the large entrance in an effort to avoid him, but the footsteps stopped. He heard Ashton speak before he made it outside.

 

"You're so wrapped up in your pity parties for yourselves that you can't even be honest with everyone else? With  _yourselves_?" his voice was booming, but shaky. "You didn't give your son an ounce of respect when he was alive, the least you could do is give it to him now that he's dead!" Michael heard the smaller boy's voice crack at the end. After that, Michael was running to the small patch of land near the church. He stood in the middle of the land and screamed. He just screamed. 

 

Then he fell to his knees. Then he sobbed.

 

After what felt like hours of crying, he felt a hand rubbing small circles on his back. He turned and saw Luke looking back at him with the saddest eyes Michael had ever seen. He leaned into the blonde, sniffling and gasping for air every once and a while. They sat like that for a few minutes.

 

"Where's Ash?" Luke nodded over to the church, where Ashton leaned against the brick exterior.

 

"He's so angry. He wouldn't even speak to me on our way out here."

 

"Why not?"

 

"He's furious they didn't honor Calum the way they should have. I don't blame him," the boy chuckled sadly.

 

"Why did he have to leave? Why didn't he just call for a ride home from work? It's my fault, I sh-" The black haired boy continued on, but was cut off.

 

"No. Don't even try to blame yourself, Mike, it's not going to get you anywhere," the smaller boy sighed, leaning into the taller once again. He could hear the attendees exit the church and start to crowd around the entrance, which meant the service was over.

 

"Hey, I'll be back in a second, yeah? I'll send Ashton over."

 

Michael nodded, and positioned himself differently so he could sit on his own. Footsteps crunched in the wet grass in front of him, but he didn't bother to look up.

 

"Hey," Ashton greeted quietly, still managing to make Michael jump a bit, "Sorry. How are you?"

 

"Shit."

 

"Same."

 

He sat down on the ground next to the other, leaning on his shoulder, "I'm sorry."

 

"For what?" the younger said, looking at Ashton in confusion. He heard him sniffle a bit.

 

"I don't know," the curly haired boy said with a shaky voice, "I just feel like everything's my fault lately, y'know? Like, if I could've done just a  _little_  more, he'd be here. Laughing, joking, comforting. Being Calum."

 

"I don't think we can think that way anymore, Ash. It's been too long, it's too painful. Luke even said getting upset will make it worse," Michael stated, sadly, but matter-of-factly.

 

"I need to t-" Ashton was cut off by a pained yelp near the front doors of the church. It was Calum's mother; and she wasn't the only one distressed. The crowd of people looked inside the church like it was a crime scene. Michael could see Luke near the back of the crowd, just as petrified as the rest. Brendon was no where to be found. 

 

"Why, God? Who would do this?!" Joy screamed as she fell to her knees. The boys' anxiousness grew more with each step as they slowly started toward the church. They both immediately regretted this decision when they saw what was inside. The entire set up was destroyed, pictures of Calum torn up, the frames broken up and scattered throughout the aisle. The candles were blown out and tossed around the aisles. The casket was tipped over and thrown halfway down the steps of the stage. That wasn't even the worst part, though. 

 

The casket was empty, and there was nothing inside of it.

 

"W-what the hell? Who would do something like this?!" Ashton yelled more than asked, shaking. Michael just stared, and slowly walked forward after he noticed something. 

 

"What are you doing?" Michael ignored, walking further down the aisle.

 

"There's a note," he mumbled in a dead voice, gesturing in the direction of the stage, "in the casket." Ashton caught up to Michael as he picked up the note, trembling.

 

"Oh my god," the pale boy said quietly, studying the note. It was addressed to him, specifically.

 

**_MICHAEL_ **

**_NEVER DOUBT YOUR INSTINCTS. WANT TO FIND WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT OF YOUR ARM CANDY BEFORE HE ROTS? YOU'LL FIND THE END OF THE ROAD AT THE PLACE WHERE IT ALL STARTED_ **

**_YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES_ **

 

A chill ran down Michael's spine. He almost wanted to cry again. He wanted to end whatever this was even more, though.

 

He stormed passed Ashton and through the church doors, shuffling through his pockets for his car keys. Some of the attendees spared a look at him as he ran through the parking lot, none of which were nice. He opened the door to his car and started it as fast as he could. The shorter lad managed to stumble into the passenger seat before Michael sped out of the parking lot.

 

 "Okay, again,  _what are you doing_?" Michael didn't say anything, he just shoved the note in Ashton's face as he raced through a stoplight.

 

"End of the road, where it all started... end of the road... " the pale boy mumbled to himself. He continued to mumble, and his face lit up in realization as he put it together.

 

Ashton's eyes widened as he read the note, glancing at Michael and back at the church that began to fade into the distance, "What does it mean 'where it all started'?" The boy stayed silent. His hands were trembling as he turned a corner. Ashton was growing anxious. 

 

"Michael, where are you taking us?"

 

"End of the road, where it all started... Calum's house."

 

"...How in the hell did you figure that out?" Ashton asked. He watched the paler boy nervously, racing through an intersection. He stopped counting the red lights Michael ran two streets ago. 

 

"Well...for one, Calum's house is the last house in his court, and that was... uhm."

 

"What? That was what?" The curly haired boy asked eagerly. Michael's face began to heat up, and Ashton's face fell in extreme disappointment.

 

"Oh my god, Michael."

 

"No, no! Not like that," Michael defended sheepishly, face flooding with an impossibly deep shade of crimson, "that was where we kissed for the first time. That was when it became real, we were really gonna be together. No more worrying about bullies or bad parents, just... sorry. Oh my god, sorry." Michael cringed at his own words and Ashton's face softened. A depressive silence fell between the two. Thankfully, it was interrupted by the vibrations of Michael's phone. Ashton saw that it was a text from Luke. He was asking to meet them at Michael's and regroup, and after looking at it for a bit, the smaller boy spoke up.

 

"Are you sure you don't want to head to your place first? I mean L-" Michael interrupted him without even thinking.

 

"We're going to Calum's."

 

"Well, what about Luke? He's still at the church!" Ashton pointed out, only just realizing himself. He could see Michael think about it, almost as if he was actually contemplating it. 

 

He was. 

 

They didn't have much time left, though. Even with Michael speeding through every street they turned onto, they only had six minutes left. They needed to make every second count. 

 

"We can meet up later if we need to, we can't waste anymore time." Michael said sternly, turning one last corner before they arrived at Calum's street.

 

"What if this is fake? Like some sick joke, a prank! We could be digging ourselves into a deeper grave here!" Ashton pleaded as a last-stitch effort to change the pale boy's mind one last time. 

 

"What if it  _isn't_?" Michael propositioned frantically. He almost sounded like he was pleading himself. He had parked at the end of Calum's driveway by now, and he wasn't changing his mind. The boys got out of the car and started toward the front door; Ashton did so reluctantly.

 

Michael, however, wasn't worried. Calum's sister, Mali, was staying at the house for the week and wouldn't have minded Michael visiting by surprise. She was one of the few family members that had opened their arms to them, which is why Mali refused to go to the funeral. Michael wished he had been as brave as her.

 

They rang the doorbell, no answer. Michael knocked, nothing. Ashton knocked, lighter, still nothing.

 

"Fuck it, were breaking in."

 

"Michael! No!"

 

" _'Michael'_ , yes! We have to get in, Ashton!" The taller boy asserted frustratingly, walking around to the side of the house where Calum's bedroom window was located. Ashton trailed behind apprehensively.

 

"Can't we just wait until the Hoods get home?"

 

Michael scoffed, "Yeah, that'll go over well." Ashton huffed at the sarcasm, but soon caved. They'd done it a million times, sneaking into Calum's bedroom to have secret sleepovers. This should be normal, but it wasn't.

 

Just as they were about to climb up one of the pipes on the side of the house, they heard the front door open. Ashton started quickly toward the front of the house, but Michael stopped him and made a shushing motion. Both peeked their heads around the corner to see a black SUV parked horizontally in front of the driveway.

 

Michael was deathly silent as he whispered "W-who is in that car?"

 

Ashton whispered, just as quiet, "I can't see a thing, the windows are tinted so dark. Do you think it's the Hood's? maybe they have a driver."

 

Their questions were answered instantly, as they watched Mali sneak slowly down the driveway in a pair of grey sweats, her hair up in a tangled, unkempt ponytail. She took a look at Michael's car suspiciously before her eyes widened in realization. She quickly erased the look off of her face and opened the back door of the car. Mali looked stressed, and took one more look around before climbing in. Who followed her soon after was a bigger surprise. 

 

Brendon.

 

"What the hell is  _he_ doing here?" Ashton questioned, still an almost inaudible whisper.

 

"I don't like this. I don't like this at all." Michael was getting scared. Brendon looked rushed, but no where near as stressed as Mali. He had to have been up to something.

 

He took a look around as well, and his eyes locked with Michael's. He looked very suspicious, and then not as he looked at Ashton. His eyes softened.

 

"Shit!" Ashton whisper-shouted. Michael almost passed out as he watched Brendon step away from the car, and out of vision. He came back a few seconds later and shot them a look again. It was pointless now, but both boys hid back behind the corner anyway. They waited until they heard a car door close before looking again. The SUV sped off, and the boys emerged from their hiding spot.

 

"Well, what the fuck do we do now? Both of them are gone!" Michael growled, forming a lump in his throat from stress. Ashton shushed him, pointing at the door. It was open.

 

The two approached the door slowly, and inched their way up the stairs even slower. Further down to the end of the hall was Calum's room, and once inside Michael and Ashton were immediately shocked to be faced with a large pile of small belongings. 

 

The same belongings from the casket.

 

The air in the room was still, and the energy felt dark. There was another note, this time sitting on top of the pile.

 

**_WRONG TURN MICHAEL_ **

**_THERE WERE INSTRUCTIONS AT YOUR HOUSE ON HOW TO GET THE PILE BACK TO WHERE IT NEEDED TO BE_ **

**_BUT YOU REFUSED TO TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS_ **

 

"God," Michael crumpled up the note and brought a hand to his forehead repeatedly, "fuck! fuck! fuck!"

 

Ashton took the note from his hands, reopening it and mentally slapping himself, " _'Never doubt your instincts'_. We're done for."

 

"No, not yet! Maybe there's still something at my house!" the dark haired boy squeaked out in a desperate tone, tears of frustration filling his eyes. 

 

"Hello...?" Sounded a voice.

 

Mrs. Hood's voice.

 

She sounded as if she were downstairs, but Michael was sure that it wouldn't stay that way for long.

 

All Ashton had manage was a shaky "We need to get out of here," and Michael was out the window, down the pipe, and around the corner. Ashton followed suit.

 

"Can you slow down?! I'm tiny!" Ashton yelled from the side of the house, tripping his way over the small garden in their front yard and into the car. Michael had already put the key into ignition, and they were off. Once they started to Michael's, Ashton got a call from Luke. 

 

He picked up immediately, "Hello?"

 

"Hey, where the hell are you guys? I've been waiting here for like, twenty minutes! What is going on?" Luke asked frantically.

 

"We'll explain when we get there, see you soon!" Ashton said quickly before hanging up.

 

The car pulled up to Michael's, passed Luke's car that was parked on the side of the road, and both boys were out of the car as fast as possible. The taller boy fumbled with his keys like an idiot at the door before unlocking it. They dashed through the family room, both looking for anything that could tell them what to do next.

 

"Anything?"

 

"Nothing. Anywhere." Michael gripped his hair in frustration, and loosened it after a small thump was heard upstairs. 

 

Both boys looked at each other in pure fear before power walking toward and up the stairs. They started to checked every room they could as quiet as possible, and another thump was heard. Ashton mouthed 'guest bedroom' to Michael from across the hall, and the tall boy led them to the end of the hall where it was located. Michael tried opening it, but was quickly defeated as the door was jammed.

 

"Wait, do you hear that?" Ashton asked almost inaudibly, fear obvious in his tone. There were small sounds of footsteps and papers ruffling from the other side of the door.

 

"Someone is in that room."

 

Michael wanted to cry, but then something changed. He was ramming his body into the door. The first attempt was a failure, the second made it wiggle a little, and right as Michael was about to make a third run into the door, there were footsteps heading up from downstairs.

 

"Hey-Hey! What the hell is happening?!" It was Luke.

 

"There's someone in there! Shh!" Ashton whisper yelled, and Michael was at his third attempt, which finally pushed open the door.

 

There was no sign of any humanity, but the window had been opened.

 

Dozens of papers were scattered over the floor of the bedroom, all photos that seemed random until Ashton picked up one of them, "What the actual hell is this?"

 

Michael picked one up, his jaw dropping immediately. Luke took one from him and his eyes widened, "Wait, why are there pictures of you guys climbing out of Calum's window all over the floor?" He gave both of them another once-over, "...were these taken today?"

 

"Yes," Ashton answered, "and it's perfect evidence that we brought the stuff back to Calum''s" Ashton said, a shake in his voice.

 

"These never would've been taken if we would've come here first."

 

" _'Never doubt your instincts'_..." Michael said in realization. He looked around the room again, noticing a third note sitting on the dresser in front of the pile of photos. His faced paled when he read it aloud.

 

**_TIME'S UP_ **


	2. Cat-and-Mouse, Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashton is sent on a wild goose chase all over town to help a friend in need. Michael and Luke are brought to a strange house after an ominous call to Luke's phone. Ashton finds himself in a very sticky situation at the end of his adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI HOLY SHIT
> 
> yeah i'm not even gonna try to come up w a reason why this took so long to finish but I DID IT YAY
> 
> I have a new love for this story now that I finished this chapter and I'm hella excited to finish it finally lmao

There was a lot of waiting in the beginning. Waiting for the body, waiting for the police reports… waiting for the funeral; too much waiting. Now they were waiting again, this time sat across from an anxious Brendon at the local diner.

 

**-2:34 PM-**

 

“He’s not responding because he’s guilty,” Michael spat, his apathy radiating a fiery heat between the the two boys. Brendon was more guarded now.

 

“Why won’t you answer the question? What are you hiding?” Ashton questioned, but it came out as an accusation. Luke sat awkwardly in the middle, making shifty eyes at the others. He seemed oblivious to the entire situation, even after three days of non-stop chatter about the boys’ ‘new suspect’. The blonde tried many times to convince the others that it was a sick prank, and they had nothing to worry about, but he couldn’t disagree with how unnerving those photos were.

 

Maybe they had a point. Someone may really want them to suffer.

 

While Luke pondered his thoughts, Michael and Ashton continued their interrogation. Brendon knew exactly why he was at the table, and even wondered why it took so long for them to confront him. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to tell them the full truth yet, though.

 

“I haven’t answered a question because you haven’t asked one,” stated the older of the four, taking a sip of his milkshake that had arrived moments earlier. All three boys looked at him, Michael looking a particular shade of pissed off.

 

“What are you talking about? We  _ did too _ ask a question!”

 

“You said, ‘tell us where Mali is, you shady motherfucker!’” Brendon quoted in a deadpan voice. This was almost amusing to him now, and also a complete waste of his time. Now was not the time for them to know. He joined in an impromptu staring contest with the curly haired boy who sat across from him as he pulled out his wallet.

 

“Well, why were you at the Hood’s house the day of Calum’s pseudo-funeral thing? And why did you act like you didn’t see us?” Ashton questioned, breaking his gaze.

 

“Pseudo-funeral? I don’t know where you think you were, but that definitely seemed like the real deal.” He was sharp, and everyone at the table knew there was something he wasn’t saying. The real question, though, was  _ why _ he wasn’t saying anything; none of the guys could crack him.

 

“It’s not if there isn’t a body,” Luke finally decided to add. Brendon scoffed, now unamused. He pulled out a twenty and slid it over to Ashton, and gestured to it as he spoke.

 

“That’s for lunch, and I wouldn’t go running around town with high hopes of Calum’s return. You heard the police reports.” 

 

Michael was seething. He couldn’t believe someone could talk about murder so casually. He eyed the twenty and glared at Brendon, who was now standing up, “that’s only enough for two lunches,” the pale boy stated, then raising his eyebrow as he realized whose lunch he was paying for.

 

“Why are you in such a rush to leave?” Luke said more than asked.

 

“You guys ask too many questions,” Brendon teased condescendingly, exiting the diner. The three sat there, irritated as they watched him drive away through the window. 

 

**-3:03 PM-**

 

“Well, you both managed to get absolutely nothing done during that lunch.”

 

They were in Luke’s room, where they met after they left the diner. Luke was well known for lending the boys his two cents, and today was no different. Michael couldn’t hear it today, though, he just wanted to go home and sleep. He wanted it all to go away.

 

“What were we  _ supposed _ to do?” Ashton mumbled from a fluffy pillow he had his face stuffed in. He was also tired, and on the verge of a serious power nap in Luke’s bed.

 

“How about ask him a question? You guys went into it like homicide detectives.” 

 

“Because he’s guilty! That pompous, cheeky fucking American is guilty! I can feel it!” Michael grunted, frustrated. Luke rolled his eyes.

 

“Sure, but can you prove it? All you’ve got is him and Mali getting into an SUV. They could’ve been headed to the mall!”

 

“Okay, regardless, why was he avoiding the question?” Luke moved from his office chair to the futon Michael was lying on, lifting up his legs to sit down. Michael groaned in annoyance when his legs plopped back down into the tall boy’s lap.

 

“Because you let him! He used every trick in the book to throw you off and you fell for all of them,” Luke stated passionately, but still matter-of-factly. Michael groaned even louder. Luke patted his knee reassuringly. He wanted to help his friends as much as he could, but it would only work if they cooperated. Right now, neither one of them even seems to want to try. 

 

“I just wanna sleep,” Ashton spoke softly as he sat up, sounding genuinely exhausted, “I haven't since the night of Cal’s funeral. I don't want to investigate, I don't want to interrogate Brendon, I want to  _ sleep _ .”

 

“Let's nap now, we can hunt later,” Michael mumbled, readjusting himself under the taller boy’s pressure before closing his eyes to sleep. Luke rolled his eyes and soon closed his as well.

 

An hour passed, and Ashton was jolted awake by the ringing of his phone. He propped himself up slowly, his curls tangled and messy with one eye still only half open. The same eye joined the other in a dramatic roll once the boy saw the caller ID:

 

**_Fuckface_ **

 

Brendon.

 

He let it ring. He was not in the mood to deal with Brendon’s whining, especially when it interrupted a great nap. He adjusted himself to sit normally, and groaned after a ‘bling!’ sounded from his phone that was most certainly a text from the man of the hour.

 

**_Can you please pick up your phone? It's serious_ **

 

_ i heard enough of you at the diner today so no also you woke me up from a nap _

 

**_It's about what was said at the diner. Please call me._ **

 

_ you haven't talked to me in a year and now all of a sudden you want to be buzzom buddies again? don't buy it _

 

**_**bosom buddies._ **

 

_ shut up _

 

**_Not until you call me._ **

 

Ashton looked to see if the boys were still asleep, and it was then that he realized they were gone. He made a motion to get up and investigate, but stopped after his phone began to vibrate. He was calling. The asshole was fucking calling him.

 

“What?” Ashton didn't ask, he said, because  _ why the hell would I want to talk to you right now? _

 

“Hi.”

 

“Hi Brendon,” the boy’s voice was calm now, but he wasn't thinking clearly. He got up from Luke’s bedside to look around for the boys as Brendon spoke.

 

“Come over,” Brendon wasn't demanding, he sounded soft; somber with only a hint of stiffness in his voice. Ashton was by the window now, to the left of Luke’s bed. Michael’s car was gone. The boy furrowed his brow, and his chest fizzled with anxiety. It took Brendon saying his name to bring him back to reality. 

 

“Huh? Sorry,” Ashton shook his head, and huffed after the man’s words registered in his brain, “why the hell would I do that? I have no reason to trust you!” Brendon sighed on the other end of the phone.

 

“Then why did you pick up the phone?” Ashton was dead silent. He didn't have an answer.

 

What was he supposed to say? He missed him? He thinks he’s innocent? It’s not true. Ashton stood silent in the middle of the room for another beat before pushing out a shifty response, “I was thinking you’d tell the truth.” Brendon let out a long, tired sigh. He seemed too calm; maybe exhausted. Ashton kept thinking  _ why does he sound exhausted _ and zoning out and this conversation was the last thing he needed right now.

 

“That’s why I want you to come over. I’m at the same place as before, please?”

 

“Okay, even if I  _ wanted _ to, I have no way over there,” Ashton stated, his irritation clear.

 

“I’ll come--” the older boy started, but a ruffling sound echoed through the other end of the phone. The younger’s brow furrowed, his eyes widening when he heard what sounded like muffled yelps and screams. He jumped when a loud noise shattered through the speakers. The line went dead, and Ashton’s heart sunk. He thought maybe this was an act, maybe he was getting Ashton off his trail; but something about it seemed real. He needed to find out for himself.

 

A sharp bang from Luke’s front door jolted him out of his trance, and he ran down the stairs to investigate immediately. He almost tripped over himself halfway down, and at the door he saw a note that had been shoved through the mail slot. Whoever this was, they were in a hurry. Ashton opened the door and picked up the note, his head going fuzzy and numb as he read it in his head.

 

**_WHO’S THE CAT AND WHO’S THE MOUSE? YOU DECIDE._ **

 

**_FIND YOUR BOY AND GET YOUR TROPHY._ **

 

Last he remembered, Luke’s brother was in the basement. Ashton hoped he wouldn’t mind him borrowing the car.

 

 

- **45 MINUTES EARLIER-**

 

“Michael,” the pale boy heard quiet and muffled as he awakened, “Michael,  _ wake up _ !”

 

“Wha,” Michael mumbled, messy haired and confused. His eyes widened when he saw a teary eyed Luke kneeling over him, distraught and whimpering like a puppy.

 

“Someone called- they called- my, uh, phone, my phone,” he was shaking so hard he could barely keep the phone in his hands, so he just threw it in Michael’s lap as he continued.

 

“They said- they were going to kill-” Luke couldn’t finish. He looked too scared to get the words out of his throat, like they would kill him if he spoke them aloud.

 

“Who?! Who’s going to kill you?” Michael said, looking at Luke’s phone screen and noticing a call from an unknown number.

 

“I don’t know!” Luke cried, his breathing growing more and more uneven. Michael took him in his arms swiftly, shushing him and rubbing his back.

 

“You’re fine, okay? Like Ash said, it’s some sick prank,” the boy was doubtful of even his  _ own  _ words, so he continued calmly, “What did the person on the phone say?”

 

“That- that I had an hour to get to some, like, house on a hill somewhere, I don’t know what it means.”

 

“The house on Greenbay Hill?”

 

“Yes, that- it said that.”

 

“It?”

 

“The voice! On the phone!”

 

“Who did it sound like? Anyone familiar?” Luke took in a sharp breath from the aftershock of his sobbing and shrugged.

 

“It was low and, like, watery? Like someone had edited the voice so I couldn't figure out who.” Michael furrowed his eyebrows, and looked over at a snoring Ashton as he continued to investigate the phone call.

 

“How long has it been since you got the call?” Michael asked before answering his own question. Luke’s most recent call was from the unknown number, 10 minutes ago. “Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?!”

 

“I was having a panic attack!” Luke whisper-yelled, looking at Ashton.

 

“Okay, okay, fine. Let’s wake Ashton up-”

 

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?

 

“Why wouldn’t it be? We need to stick together.”

 

“He’ll just get all spazzy, I’m already anxious enough.” Michael rolled his eyes.

 

“Fine.”

 

“My brother’s downstairs anyway, so I doubt anything will happen.” Michael nodded, still unsure. He looked at the curly-haired boy one more time, huffing as he left the room.

 

“Okay then, let’s go.” Luke followed close behind him as they headed downstairs and out the door.

 

Once they were in the car, the atmosphere shifted uncomfortably. Luke kept looking at Michael nervously as they traveled to the other side of town, and the other boy didn’t seem so chipper himself. His hands were sweaty from how hard he was gripping the steering wheel, and he felt like something was off. The whole ride was silent.

 

**-4:15 PM-**

 

“Okay, this is it.” Michael said, taking a left and driving up an inclining street. As they drove up the hill, they passed a number of large houses built to accommodate the gravity. At the very top lived the largest of all the houses; a villa with an unnecessarily large front yard, a garden, and a driveway that seemed to go on forever. It was complete with a fancy gate at the front, where the boys parked.

 

“Holy shit.” Luke whispered, wide eyed. Michael snickered, his mind still slightly uneasy at the thought of being near the house. The stories he'd heard as a child weren't good ones. The other boy was uneasy too, but instead because the house felt familiar; looked familiar. Maybe it was just one of those houses.

 

“I’ve only heard about this place. It really is bigger than you think.”

 

Luke huffed in sort of a half laugh, but then squinted at the gate, “I see a note on the keypad, there.” Michael followed the direction of Luke's hand, growing anxious as he tried to read the note from where he was sitting. After a few moments of frustration, he gave up and opened his car door. The note was short, and once the boy was close enough he noticed it didn't even seem like a full sentence. He heard a car door close, and turned to see Luke quickly walking to meet him at the gate. He read the note, and Michael could see all the energy drain from his body. He looked like he could pass out.

 

“Luke, what's wrong? Do you know what it means?”

 

“Y-yes,” He choked out. He looked like he was about to cry again. 

 

**_FELICITY FREIGHT_ **

 

**_KAREN_ **

 

**_061212_ **

 

**_FIND THE FILE_ **

 

**_20 MINUTES_ **

 

“Fuck.”

 

“What does it mean?” Michael sounded nervous.

 

Silence. 

 

“ _ What file _ ?” Michael asked, but it sounded more like a command. He hadn't noticed his hands on Luke's shoulders in a death grip until he shifted under his grasp. “Sorry, uhm- sorry.” Luke backed up a little bit after he was let go.

 

“Are... you okay?” Michael wasn't sure how to answer.

 

“...I uhm,” He stood there for a moment, thinking, “I’m just scared. I'm sorry.” He wanted to say more, but he didn't. He didn't think he could. Luke nodded slowly, and looked over at the keypad next to the gate.

 

“The numbers look like a code. I'm gonna try it here.” 

 

  1. The box beeped, but it didn’t sound happy. Wrong.



 

“What happened?” Luke didn’t respond, he seemed focused.

 

“Maybe… without the zero, or… fuck.” his ideas weren’t working, and he wasn’t happy about it. Every time he put in a different code, his fingers held more force. Michael had to put a hand on his shoulder to bring him back to reality. He jumped a bit, but then took a breath after realizing what he was doing. Then he figured it out. The shorter boy watched as the other’s frustrated gaze twisted into a mortified, disgusted realization.

 

“I knew it. This--this is the house.”

 

“...What?”

 

“T-The date. It’s a date… 6th of December, 2012,” The blonde stuttered, “and it’s written wrong, too. It’s not June 12th, it’s supposed to be the 12th of June.”

 

“120612.”

 

  1. Michael entered the code. A ding sounded, but it was different. Soft and upbeat.



 

Luke was right.

 

“He’s fucking with me.” Michael was still looking at his taller friend. Now he was even more confused. What was this? Who was ‘he’? Was this the same person that took the photos of Ashton and Michael?

 

“Why would this person even know that date? How? What’s so important about it?” Luke huffed as the words left the other boy’s mouth. He looked uncomfortable again. Like it was something he really didn’t want to talk about. The speaker buzzed, and the gates opened.

 

“It’s the reason we moved.” Luke was deadpan, and as soon as they were open wide enough, he was through the gates. Michael followed behind shrinkingly. He remembered Luke as the last one to join their group. Early 2013, around March. Year ten. Ashton and Michael were pretty close at that point, they played soccer together in year four and had been best friends ever since. Calum came right before Luke, the end of year nine. Michael and he hooked up over the summer, sending the pale boy to the realization of his bisexuality. Calum had known he was gay since he was eleven.

 

The boys trekked further up the driveway, and Michael continued to reminisce. He remembered Ashton feeling like a third wheel for a while, until Luke had arrived. They grew really close after Ashton had ended a relationship. No one knew who with, except maybe Luke. They seemed to tell each other a lot more than they told the group as a whole. Calum and he never minded though, they were quite wrapped up in each other as well.

 

After Calum went missing, the boys had a hard time keeping themselves together. It was hard for them to maintain any kind of friendship with each other, even Ashton and Michael. They had all drifted for a while. Then news struck. There had been a paper trail of Calum’s DNA spanning all over the surrounding area, leading up to a small shack in the middle of nowhere. It was filled with blood, all over the floor and the walls. Multiple follicles of black hair were found at the scene, and the blood was tested as Calum’s bloodtype. Michael still thinks that it could’ve been a coincidence, but that was certainly wishful thinking. Calum was gone. No more waiting.

 

Upon closer inspection, parts of the front of the house looked slightly damaged.

 

“Fire, maybe?” Michael asked, trying to ease the tension he felt surrounding Luke. The other just sighed.

 

“Yep.” A melancholy response for sure, but clearly because something was up that Luke wasn’t telling Michael. The two stood in front of an obnoxious and over-the-top staircase that led to the front entrance. They were really about to do this.

 

“What started it?”

 

Once at the top, Luke raised his hand to grapple a large door-knocker in the shape of a lion. He lifted the knocker and quickly dropped it. One knock. He lifted the knocker again and dropped it once more. Two knocks. 

 

“My aunt.”

 

**-5:20 PM-**

 

“Pick up, pick up! Jesus Christ why aren't you--  _ ugh _ !”

Ashton yelled into nothing, because Michael wasn't picking up his phone. He wasn't picking up his phone and he was going to kill him, probably. Ashton was driving, and trying his hardest not to crash as he dialed Luke's number. 

 

Ring. 

 

Ring. 

 

No answer. Ashton could've screamed.

 

“You go completely AWOL and  _ now  _ you can't answer a phone call. Great.” He huffed. He wasn't even sure why he was doing this, especially for someone him and his friends are suspicious of for a full blown murder. The boy looked at the note from Luke’s house one more time as he pulled into a parking space. He was at Brendon's apartment complex. He also knew exactly why he was doing this.

 

Whoever was doing this knew. About everything.

 

Ashton tried not to have an asthma attack when he pulled his keys out of the ignition. He was going to get out of the car. He just needed to not freak out about it. Freaking out would only make it worse. He wondered if this was the same person that led them to Calum’s a few days earlier. A million questions ran through Ash’s head, with no answers to diminish them. Whatever was happening, it didn't seem like a prank anymore. Maybe Ashton was being paranoid.

 

He and Calum were never really that close in the first place, so why was he being targeted? Collateral damage? His mind swam in circles and his feet managed to walk him up the steps as if they had minds of their own. Ashton's brain was scrambled and everywhere at once, then suddenly he was at Brendon's door. It was already open.

 

Now, his brain was here. It was focused on the note he could see on Brendon's coffee table. He couldn't read it from the doorway, and he was afraid to go inside to see what it said. He didn't seem to have a choice. Ashton surveyed his surroundings to make sure no one was looking, and headed in once the coast was clear. He tiptoed so lightly into the apartment, it almost felt like he was floating. God knows his mind was.

 

“What a mess,” the boy whispered to himself, just in case this was a trap and the crazy was coming to kidnap him, too. He was right though; the place was a pigsty. Ashton wondered if it looked like this before Brendon went missing. All he knew was it certainly didn’t look like how he remembered it. He stood at the coffee table, bending down slightly to pick up the note.

 

**_BEDROOM_ **

 

Should he listen? This most certainly  _ had  _ to be a trick. Brendon could be just fine. Brendon could be  _ doing  _ this. But still, Ashton snuck down the short hallway, and into what looked like the master bedroom. The walls were red, unlike before. He must’ve completely redone the place. The boy looked around, and stepped back once he saw what was laid out in front of him. This wasn’t any regular messy room. The lamp was knocked over, dresser drawers pulled crooked… even the closet door across from where Ash stood was left ajar, like someone had yanked it open. Knick knacks on the side table, dresser and TV stand were all over the floor. The sheets were pulled off the bed, and Ashton even thought he saw a few small spots of blood on them. Brendon’s room was a full-fledged crime scene. As Ashton scanned the room, he noticed another note pinned to the wall adjacent to the door.

 

**_HE SCREAMED “BABY”_ **

 

**_GET TO THE BACK OF ST. ALDI’S BAPTIST CHURCH FAST ENOUGH_ **

**_AND YOU’LL GET TO HEAR HIM SAY_ **

**_IT AGAIN_ **

 

**_OTHERWISE YOUR DIRTY LAUNDRY WILL BE AIRED_ **

 

**_THE CAT ALWAYS WINS_ **

 

This was no game.

 

Ashton tried Michael’s cell phone again, this time finally getting an answer.

 

“Hello?” Michael sounded fine. Asshole.

 

“Where the hell did you go?! I woke up and you two went full on Houdini!”

 

“Sorry Ash! Uhm,” He heard whispering. Luke was there, he wasn’t stupid. Something was up.

 

“‘Uhm’ what? What are you two doing right now?” He heard Michael stumble a little bit over his words, and Ashton let him scramble. He wanted to see what the other would try and come up with. He was sure it’d be dumb.

 

“Luke’s-- Luke’s brother asked us to run him some errands. He’s--helping fix my car,” The pale boy stuttered,  _ very  _ unconfidently. Ashton scoffed.

 

“Do you take me for an idiot?”

 

“N-”

 

“If your car needs to be fixed, how are you running the errands?” He could hear Luke groan in the background after he finished.

 

“We took his brother’s car?” Michael try to say, but it came out as a question. Ashton laughed.

 

“No you didn’t.”

 

“How do you know?”

 

“Well, for starters, Luke’s room has a window and I know what your car looks like.

Also, you couldn’t have taken Jack’s car because  _ I  _ took Jack’s car to Brendon’s.” The line was silent for a moment.

 

“Why are you at Brendon’s?”

 

“Don’t turn this around on me! I asked first!” Ashton was angry now, his mind running rampant thinking of what the boys could be doing.

 

“Fine. This crazy person that we all think is Brendon called Luke, and led us to the house on Greenbay Hill, and now we’re inside and someone might be in here with us,” Michael said all of this in one breath, inhaling and exhaling quickly after he finished his sentence.

 

“Wait, the house on Greenbay Hill? Are you serious?” Ashton was confused. What would that place have to do with anything that happened to Calum? He continued to think out loud, “I thought that place was haunted.”

 

“Maybe, but all we know is Luke’s aunt lived here and she burnt the place down.”

 

“How does this connect to Calum?” Ashton noticed he hadn't moved since the start of the phone call, and made a path straight to the note on the wall on top of the piles of clothes. He also noticed there were no guitars hanging on the walls. Brendon must have stopped playing. 

 

“I don’t think it’s suppose to connect to him. Whoever’s targeting us seems dead set on fucking with  _ us  _ now.”

 

There was a small pile of books on Brendon's side table that had gone relatively untouched. H.P. Lovecraft. Ashton never knew him as much of a reader. Then again, he didn’t really know him at all anymore.

 

“Ash?”

 

“Huh? Sorry,” Ashton was quickly pulled back into reality, only then realizing the note had fallen out of his hand. He thought he should get the note on the coffee table as well. He continued, although still only half there, “yeah, I… something’s definitely wrong.”

 

He guessed that Michael noticed his distant tone, and prepared himself for interrogation, “Why are you at Brendon’s, anyway?”

 

Ashton sighed as he snuck down the hallway toward the living room. Halfway down, he saw that the note was gone. Had they been in the apartment since he walked in? Ash’s phone almost feel out of his hand from all the trembling he was doing, but he caught it in time. He was sure Michael was aggravated by now.

 

“Ash, answer me!”

 

“G-gotta go, bye,” Ashton ended the call with a quick click and his phone was in his pocket. He didn't trust himself not to drop it again.

 

He stood in the living room, frozen and terrified. He wasn't sure if he should leave then, like the note said, or wait for someone to find him  _ literally _ shaking in his boots. He took another look at the bedroom from where he was standing, wondering what really happened in there. Then, he heard footsteps. They were coming from behind him, which made everything worse. Ashton guessed he should prepare for death, until he turned around and was greeted with a very familiar face.

 

“...Ash?”

 

“I could say the same for you, but it'd get confusing.”

 

Ashley. As in his cousin, Ashley.

 

“You got taller,” she shaved her head completely bald, and accented her face with large gold hoop earrings, “what are you doing here?”

 

“I own the building. Do you know where Brendon’s been? I tried his cell, no one answered.” Ashton stood in shock, eyes wide open. He hadn't seen Ashley since the month before Calum died, and before then they hadn't hung out since they were kids.

 

“How do you know Brendon? How do you know  _ I  _ know Brendon?” Ashton's eyebrows furrowed in suspicion, although the answers were quite simple.

 

“I know Brendon because I sold him the apartment, and I'm assuming  _ you  _ know him because you're standing inside of it,” she seemed matter-of-fact, but then she mirrored his furrowed brow as she questioned, “...you  _ do  _ know him, right?”

 

“Of course! Obviously! He… wasn't answering me either,” Ashton made another once over of the apartment before turning his heel toward the door. He knew Ashley wasn't dumb, and she stopped him before he could even take a step.

 

“How did you get into the apartment?”

 

“I… have a key,” Ashton lied. He hated lying, and he was doing a lot of it lately. Ashley raised her eyebrows in surprise.

 

“Oh. Are you two-”

 

“ _ No _ .”

 

“Okay, okay, damn,” The shorter raised her hands up in defense, backing up and chuckling a bit. She eyed the note Ashton had in his hand, and squinted her eyes at him when he nervously tried to hide it behind his back. She snatched it from his hands, eyes squinting harder as she read.

 

“What the hell is this? What's happening?”

 

“Nothing. It's a prank. I think Brendon's messing with me,” Ashton lied again, chuckling lightly as he tried to sell it, “and on that note, I gotta go see what he wants. See ya!”

 

He ripped the note from Ashley's hands, running for the door as she chased behind him. 

 

Ashton stumbled his way down the stairs yet again, and yanked the keys to the car from his pocket as he sprinted down the sidewalk of the building. Ashley was quick; as fast as he ran across the parking lot, she was still right on his ass. Once at the car, he tried as fast as possible to unlock it and get inside. The door was opened and then immediately slammed shut by a slightly out of breath Ashley, who pulled Ashton to face her.

 

“What, the fuck, Ashton?” she questioned, still panting.

 

“Please don't, okay? Just let me go, I don't want you to have any part in this.”

 

“Part in  _ what _ , Ashton?  _ What _ is going on?” She looked concerned, and her eyes were so big that no one could say no to her. He wasn't going to give in, though. He refused to involve anyone else. Ashley noticed his silence, and spoke again to grab his attention.

 

“You're not leaving here without me. You can tell me or not tell me but I'm coming with you.” He was frozen at this point, and didn't try to stop her as she walked around to the passenger’s side and got in the car.

 

“Fine.” He reluctantly slid into his seat and started the car.

 

“Okay, so what's the deal with,” Ashley paused, grabbing the note from Ashton another time to read, “St. Aldi’s Baptist Church?”

 

“That's the church where they buried Calum.”

 

**-6:31 PM-**

 

“So how have you been, Ash?”

 

The car ride was silent for 10 minutes before Ashley finally spoke up. They were bored and hadn't spoken in almost two years. Ashley was bad at keeping in touch, and the only time she ever really come to town was when she wanted to get away from her family.

 

“Good, y’know, considering,” Ashton spoke with a smirk that was clearly ingenuine. He wasn't good at all, but he didn't want to make it awkward.

 

“I'm, um, sorry I didn't call,” Ashley muttered with a hint of guilt. She fidgeted with her hands as a means of distraction. She looked at Ashton, and then out the window, “I can't imagine how difficult it was, y’know, dealing with… that.”

 

There was a moment of silence. Ashton took a deep breath in.

 

“It's better now, I guess,” The boy assured uncomfortably, then quickly changed the subject, “what about you? Last time we spoke you had-”

 

“Blue hair?” the shorter smiled, but it fell when she turned back toward Ashton. Her eyes were sad and heavy lidded as she slouched in her seat. She looked like she felt responsible.

 

“Yeah, why such a drastic change?” The curly haired boy tried to ignore the look on her face.

 

“I dunno, I got bored I guess,” Ashley mumbled. It was a bullshit answer, definitely. She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't seem to want to talk at all anymore. That was quick.

 

“Cool,” Ashton said awkwardly. It was a very strange conversation, and he had no clue how to navigate it. He eyed her for a quick second, she looked nervous. He couldn't blame her; he was, too.

 

“We're here.” Ashton choked out in a nervous whisper as he pulled the car into the space closest to the entrance. The lot was vacant, which didn't soothe his suspicions. He pulled the key out of the ignition and looked back at his cousin in the passenger seat.

 

“Stay here.” Ashley looked at him like he had 8 heads. Like he was crazy. He knew how stupid it sounded.

 

“Are you fucking insane?  _ No! _ ” The girl said in a whisper-yell.

 

“I can't risk you getting hurt, especially because of me,”

 

“Why the hell do you think I'd get hurt in the first place?”

 

Silence.

 

“Ashton,  _ what is going on?! _ ” Ashton jumped at the raise in Ashley's voice. She was not fucking around, that was clear. The look on her face convince him that she could easily tackle him, right here, right now, if she really wanted to. He wasn't going to give in, though.

 

“I will tell you when I come back out. I promise,” and with that, the door closed. The boy watched as his cousin groaned in frustration. He shifted, slightly confused. Even if he locked the car, she still could've unlocked it and walked right out. She must've trusted him. He turned his heel and started toward the side of the church, where Michael and he sat before their world had turned upside down a second time. Ashton thought as he walked. He thought about the photos that had kept him uneasy for days. He thought about Mali, who still hadn't returned from wherever she was taken. About Brendon, who he was still making an attempt to save  _ as he was thinking about it;  _ even after everything he saw on the day of Calum’s funeral. He had a lot of explaining to do once the boy found him. He turned the corner as he thought about how this had only just started, and how his gut told him it would only get worse. 

 

He trembled, standing at the back door of St. Aldi’s, and he thought about Calum.

 

He slowly turned the knob and walked inside. 

 

The floors were creeky, even in the cramped back room Ashton stood in. It was way too small to stand in for too long, perhaps a room for the priest. The lights were dim, and at this point the sun had almost completely set. He pulled out his phone to use as a flashlight. When his flash lit up, he saw a note on the desk. It was positioned peculiarly, like something was underneath it. As he inched closer to the desk, he could read what it said:

 

**_ARE YOU A CAT OR A MOUSE?_ **

 

**_FIND OUT TONIGHT_ **

 

Hesitantly, Ashton lifted the note. He let out a shivering whine when he saw what was underneath.

 

A gun.

 

At this point, he thought it would be a good idea to call his friends and tell them what exactly this was becoming. This was far, far worse than a prank. He moved his phone closer to him so he could dial Luke’s number, and he hadn't noticed his own crying until a teardrop landed on his phone screen. He wiped it away with a shaking hand and continued to dial.

 

Ring. 

 

Ring. 

 

Ring.

 

No answer.

 

Ash shoved his phone in his pocket with a pout. He wouldn't bother trying Michael’s phone, he wasn't in the mood to play phone tag. 

 

He jumped at the sound of a thump that came from inside the church. His glazed over eyes shifted their gaze over to a door that most likely led to the altar. He picked up the gun and his eyes widened as he a realized, right in that moment, that he had no idea how to use a gun. He hoped he wouldn't have to learn tonight. Would he? He thought again--which he learned at this point probably wasn't a good idea-- about Calum. He wondered if this is what happened to him. He thought about the idea of killing someone, and that he might actually have to do it in a few seconds. Who was he going to find in there?

 

He looked back at the note, and only then did he notice an arrow in the bottom right corner.

 

Fuck, there was more.

 

**_THE KILLER IS THE MOUSE_ **

 

**_AND HE’S JUST BEYOND THE ALTAR_ **

 

**_YOU’RE THE MOUSETRAP_ **

 

**_THE SAFETY IS OFF_ **

 

**_REMEMBER THOSE PICTURES?_ **

 

It was talking about the gun. Ashton was so close to calling the cops, be he knew those photos of him and Michael would surface, and they would be screwed. Then it registered what the beginning of the message meant. The killer is the mouse.

 

This person isn't Calum’s killer.

 

He heard another thump. This time was different, though, it sounded like a door.

 

He was here. The killer. Ashton could hear the footsteps, just in the other room. He started toward the door, gun in hand, and slowly turned the knob to open it. His feet were as light as a feather as he headed up three short steps onto the altar. He could see everything now. It was dark, but not dark enough to miss the figure sitting on one of the benches. Whoever it was couldn't see him. This was the moment. Ashton was practically vibrating at this point as he raised the gun to aim at the figure. He stopped himself right as he did it, freezing himself in place. He didn't  _ have  _ to do it. He could just threaten him with it. Find out who he was and tell him to beat it before something bad happened. This could still all be a prank after all, right? A cruel, sick j-

 

“ _ Ashton?” _

 

The boy had never screamed so loud in his life. There was a hand on his shoulder, and then it wasn't immediately after he whipped around behind him. He whacked the person in the head with the gun in the process.

 

“Holy shit, dude, what the fuck?” It was Luke. The taller boy groaned in pain on the ground. 

 

“ _ Ashton what the hell?!”  _ and Michael.

 

“I should be asking you the same thing!” Ashton shouted frantically. He looked around for a switch or  _ something to light this fucking place up a bit.  _ He found one near the door, next to the piano. He walked over to it in long, irritated strides as Michael kneeled down to check on Luke. He was bleeding. Suddenly the switch was on everything was brighter. Ash looked over at the two boys, who mumbled at each other over Luke's open wound. Michael was trying to be a mom and Luke wasn't having it. Ashton's head was clearer then, clear enough to hear the noises coming from the aisle. Fuck, that guy again.

 

Ashton headed closer to him, and noticed as he walked down the stairs who it was.

 

“Brendon? Holy hell, Brendon!” Ashton yelled frantically as he rushed to his side. His hands were tied behind his back, his legs tied around the side of the bench. Duct tape covered his mouth, muffling his words. His head was splattered with dried blood, and a large scratch decorated his cheek. The other boys noticed the scene, and came rushing over soon after. 

 

“Who the hell did this to you?” Ashton asked, still frantic and now more demanding. Brendon muffled some more, and the boy realized he needed to take off the tape to get any answers.

 

“Okay. Count of three. One, two-” rip. Brendon yelped in pain, wincing into himself.

 

“What the fuck happened to three?!” Ashton smacked Brendon's arm and raised his eyebrows, as if to tell him  _ get on with the fucking story dude. _

 

“Look, I don't know who did this. If I did, I would tell you,” Luke scoffed at that answer, and Brendon heightened the tone of his voice in defense, " _honestly!_ "

 

“Would you? How do we know for sure you didn't just do this yourself?” Luke sounded vindicated and confident in his accusations until he noticed everyone was looking at him like he was an idiot. Especially Michael, who spoke next.

 

“How would he have tied himself to a bench, Luke? Seriously?” Luke glared at his paler counterpart, rolling his eyes as he simmered down.

 

“Are you okay?” Ashton knew it was a silly question, but it didn't hurt to ask. Brendon chuckled a bit at that, his mood lightening just slightly.

 

“Better now, I guess,” He said to Ashton with a slight smirk, and he seemed genuine. He had just been accusing him of murder that same day, and now he couldn’t have been happier to see him. He was alive. It almost felt like old times. The corner of Ash’s mouth started to turn up, but quickly fell back down as he followed a scratch down the older’s neck, his brows furrowing together. Brendon noticed, and questioned as Ashton lifted his chin, “whats wrong?”

 

The scratch led down to the collar of his neck, which intrigued Ashton to lift it. Once he did, he saw a small piece of paper taped to Brendon’s collarbone. All eyes were on the younger as he pulled the note off, unfolding it.

 

“So that’s what was itching so damn much,” Brendon half-joked, then grew concerned as Ashton stayed silent, “what’s it say?”

 

“Uhm…‘You’re a good listener. Until next time.’,” The curly haired boy read in a shaky voice, “That’s all it was? A  _ test? _ ”

 

“What are you talking about?” Michael asked this time, but before his question could be answered, a scream for help echoed horrifyingly outside. All four boys turned their attention to the main entrance of the church, each one of them equally as startled as the other. Ashton was terrified once again, because he knew who was screaming.

 

“Ashley.”

 

**\--- ------ -- - ---- ------**

 

**There’s a rhyme and a reason to everything a genius does.**

 

**Not only did I have my rhymes,** **_and_ ** **my reasons, I knew just how to  figure out someone else’s. I was good. No matter how angry I got, almost everything had gone according to plan. I will say though, they were some tough cookies. They caught onto things quickly. They were smart.**

 

**But I was smarter.**

 

**I sat in my favorite leather chair as I played a low quality video on my small, undecorated black Motorola Razr. It was a recording of two people. I won’t tell you who they are yet, but I’ll tell you this:**

 

**One of them is mad at the other, and it's after they fucked up** **_big_ ** **time, and they almost did a very** **_bad_ ** **thing; they almost ruined the entire plan, all due to their own selfishness. No surprise there. The angry one is angry because someone else is angry at them, and as far as you’re concerned, that cycle could go on forever. Before we get** **_too_ ** **meta, though, let me tell you one last thing.**

 

**I had something up my sleeve, and no one saw it coming. These may seem like empty threats to you now, because you’ve only just started this journey with me, and I understand that. I do.**

 

**So, just be patient.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH SHIT
> 
> yeah some shit goes down at the beginning of ch 3 so stay tuned kids
> 
> and this time it wont take half a year to finish lmaooooo


End file.
